The new leader of Lancaster City Council will be chosen next week.
That follows the dramatic resignation of the previous Labour leader Phillip Black earlier this month, who quit along with several allies, and his removal of Green Party cabinet members.
An extraordinary meeting for councillors to choose a new leader will take place on Monday (November 25).
Until last week, there was a shared administration between Labour, the Greens and Lib-Dem.
But then on November 13, Labour’ Phillip Black, emotionally announced his surprise resignation as leader in front of a full council meeting, accusing Green councillors of forcing him out.
Councillor Black had been expected to remain as leader until May, under a cross-party agreement after the 2023 local elections when Labour, then the largest group, the Greens and Liberal Democrats formed an alliance to run the council cabinet.
Just one cabinet member – the Liberal Democrat Cllr Peter Jackson, remains at present, following the events of that night.
Read more: Lancaster City Council leader dramatically quits as Labour-Green alliance collapses
After a recent by-election victory in Scotforth East and two departures from the Labour group, the Green Party is now the biggest group on the council with 23 councillors. Labour is second-largest with 21. The Lib-Dems have seven councillors, Conservatives have five, Morecambe Bay Independents have three, and there are two other independents.
The city council’s chief executive, Mark Davies, has taken on any key executive roles until a new cabinet is formed.
The announcement of the meeting states: “Following a vacancy, the meeting is to receive nominations and elect the leader of the cabinet/leader of the council until the annual council meeting in May 2025.
‘’In accordance with the constitution, appointment to the position of leader will be by simple majority of the council. In the event that only one nomination is put forward, a vote will still be taken.”
Speaking on the night, Cllr Black said: “I have had a few weeks off duties because of a health condition. When I came back, there were demands from Green councillors following the recent by-election that I should resign or face a vote of no confidence. That was not the welcome I expected.
‘’I wanted to focus on running the council and follow agreed positions we have held. But that was flatly rejected. I was told we were politicians and so have to serve the ‘here-and-now’. We are not lawyers.
“I don’t deny the Greens are the largest group. But I don’t know how we can cross the choppy waters if we continue jockeying for power after every by-election?”
But the Greens rejected his accusations.
Councillor Caroline Jackson, Green leader, said after the meeting: "We are sad that Councillor Black and the Labour group have chosen this abrupt way of ending the current administration.
‘’By doing so during a meeting, it has left us in a position where we have no constitutional leadership.
"Councillor Black should have given advance notice so that a new leader could have been elected at the meeting.
"The effect of this action in the middle of the budget process is to halt essential work and ultimately delay decision-making.
"In May 2023 Councillor Black insisted that he should be leader because Labour had more members than Greens. We are surprised therefore that he has been unable to negotiate with us to create a smooth transition at this point.
"We know that our residents expect a councillor from the largest group on the council to be leading the council.’’
The meeting to elect a new leader takes place at 6pm on Monday (November 25) at Morecambe Town Hall, and is open to the public to attend.
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